Not Alone
by natalia5345
Summary: Vala is never alone. Vala, Qetesh and some Daniel just for kicks


**Random Ficlet - Not Alone**

She awoke in a dark chamber, the hum of far off engines the only sound in the room. She attempted to move her limbs, finding herself snuggled beneath silken sheets. The bed was large and ornate, the chamber equally so. Looking around in confusion she suddenly realised where she was. This was Qetesh's ship. Qetesh's bed. Her hand moved to her neck, over the scar at the base of her skull. She shivered.

Marvelling at the sudden ability to move her own arms, hands, and fingers, she realised she must have found a crack, a hole in the walls of the cell in which Qetesh had imprisoned her mind, her soul. Looking around the room she saw that she was alone and allowed a quiet sigh to escape her lips. Stretching her legs she rose from the bed and walked towards a long mirror that covered a large portion of the bedroom wall. As she approached it she touched her face, her hair, her arms. It was her – Vala – but at the same time she was changed. She had seen this body do terrible things, things that frightened and repulsed her. The cell in which she had been trapped had been built with glass walls. She had seen everything Qetesh had done, what her hands had done at Qetesh's command. Her hands. These hands. She looked down at her palms and began to rub them against her nightgown – if the scrap of material that barely covered her body could be called a nightgown – as if attempting to remove the blood that stained them. She scraped her arms, her hands, her chest with her fingernails, trying to remove the stains of what Qetesh had done with her body; the invisible stains only she could see. Vala scratched at her arms and hands until they were raw, but as her fingers moved to her face she froze as an achingly familiar and menacing voice sent tremors through her body.

"Stop now sweet one, don't do that," it whispered, growing in strength. "Such a pretty face, we would not want to hurt it would we."

Vala collapsed to her knees, hands splayed on the mirror for support. Qetesh was still there; she had been there all along, playing with Vala's emotions. Again. Vala desperately wanted to be alone with her thoughts once more, have her mind to herself – to have control. But it was not to be. For no other reason but to take pleasure in Vala's pain, Qetesh had taunted her, given her a moment of solitude, of freedom – but it was false. And it had ended. Qetesh clawed at her mind, pulling her back.

The cold voice in her head chuckled as Vala lost her desperate struggle for control. As she stared into the mirror she saw her dark eyes flash a brilliant gold that was filled with both fire and ice, a cruel grin crept across her lips and the wicked voice laughed sharply as she was forced back into her prison. As she lost control of her body, Vala's consciousness made one final feeble push before it was locked away once more "Please," she pleaded. "Leave me alone."

"You're not alone," the icy voice hissed, "You'll never be alone."

--

Daniel woke with a start, roused from his slumber by a sharp kick in the shin. Vala was tossing and turning – her hands gripping and rubbing against the sheets, fingernails scratching her arms and chest leaving long red welts, her head twisting back and forth on the pillow. She was mumbling and moaning – 'let me go' 'no' 'leave me alone' 'please' – and the thrashing began to grow worse. It didn't take Daniel long to recognize what was happening. Qetesh. This was not the first time it had happened and it would not be the last. Sweat was beading on her furrowed brow as she continued to writhe under the covers. Daniel shifted towards Vala, grasping her wrists to stop her from hurting herself, and him.

"Vala wake up, it's only a dream," He whispered into her ear as he pulled her close.

Vala woke with a gasp and pushed back from Daniel. She was panting and her eyes moved wildly until they met his. He released her wrists as she fell back against the pillows. Daniel remained where he was, letting her come to him. And eventually she did, rolling back over and burying her face into his chest, his arms moving to rub her back as she shuddered, several drawn out sobs heaving her small form.

"She's gone Vala. She's gone. You're here with me." He reminded her, soothed her.

Vala settled into Daniel's embrace, allowing her breathing to even out, tears drying almost as quickly as they had begun. She was Vala. Vala Mal Doran. Qetesh was gone. Dead. And she was here - here with Daniel.

As she lost herself in the warmth and comfort of Daniel's arms Vala could sense a familiar message that seemed to emanate from his very presence, remaining unspoken but loud and clear all the same. She had heard the words many times before in a tone that continued to haunt her, but this time the voice in her head was warm and comforting and the thought filled her with happiness, not fear: "You'll never be alone."


End file.
